San Diego Art Institute (originally, San Diego Business Men's Art Club) is located in San Diego, California, US. While the institute functions much like a municipal gallery for the city and county, its Museum of the Living Artist, with its main gallery located in Balboa Park, is a center for the visual arts for the Southern California/Baja California region.
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History
In 1941, a group of San Diego businessmen met in the office of then Director of the Fine Arts Gallery in Balboa Park, Reginald Poland. These men were interested in forming a group, which would have as its chief objective the painting of local characteristic and historical scenes of San Diego and vicinity. Following the organizational meeting, invitations were issued to painters known to be interested in preserving the memories of the fast disappearing early landmarks of San Diego County. In May, a re-organizational meeting was held, at which time the name "San Diego Business Men's Art Club" was adopted. The first president was Walter W. Austin, former Mayor of San Diego. The first instructor of this group was Maurice Braun, well known in all of southern California for his mellow California landscapes as well as for his unusual teaching ability. Otto Schneider, Alfred R. Mitchell and many others also acted as instructors of this enthusiastic outdoor painting group. Exhibitions of the work of club members were held at various places; the first one-man show to be held by a member of this original group was by Charles Small in Bohnen's Studio at Fifth and Laurel Streets.
In 1942 the San Diego Business Men's Art Club negotiated with the City for studio quarters in the Spanish Village in Balboa Park. Before this arrangement could be consummated, World War II intervened; Balboa Park was requisitioned for use in the war effort. During the war the Club was relatively inactive, except for a member exhibition in the La Jolla Art Center in June 1944. After the end of the war, interest in the project was revived and the club was reorganized at a meeting held on April 4, 1947. During this year increasing activity was generated and many fine outdoor painting sessions resulted, including one at the Pine Hills ranch of Fred Heilbron, one of the original members. Several exhibitions of paintings by old and new members were held, one of which was at the San Diego Club with an attendance of more than 140 people. During this year E. H. Pohl and Ben Vaganoff were added to the list of club instructors.
During 1948, increased interest and enthusiasm was manifested by alternate Saturday painting trips by the membership to various sites in San Diego County. The all-county Art Mart held in November of that year at 6th and Laurel streets was under the chairmanship of one of their instructors, Alfred R. Mitchell. Most of the members of the San Diego Business Men's Art Club participated in this activity, which greatly increased the public interest in the organization. For a number of years following the 1948 Art Mart this activity was under the chairmanship of a member of the San Diego Business Men's Art Club.
In 1949 the efforts of the club were increased and expanded. Exhibitions were held in numerous business establishments, hotels and schools. In 1950 these exhibitions were extended to outlying locations such as the Hoberg Hotel in Borrego Springs and the Carlsbad Hotel in Carlsbad.
Headquarters
The San Diego Business Men's Art Club had grown in activities and public relations to such an extent that a headquarters and gallery were sorely needed. During World War II the Fine Arts Society of San Diego was forced to evacuate its galleries in Balboa Park and move, originally to 2324 Pine Street, and then to 2030 Sunset Boulevard, a fine old home which was a gift of Mr. and Mrs. Frank E. Marcy to the Fine Arts Society for use as its wartime temporary headquarters. Following the return of the Fine Arts Society to its galleries in Balboa Park after the war, the Sunset Galleries were left vacant. E. T. Price, at that time president of the Fine Arts Society, offered the use of the gallery at 2030 Sunset Boulevard for its headquarters and gallery; many exhibitions, social affairs, classes, lectures, and educational and cultural meetings were held there. Exhibitions of club's workwere held continuously,with the show changed at monthly intervals. Visiting exhibitions were held, not only of paintings but of photography and other arts and crafts. Field painting excursions continued e under the supervision and instruction of one of the faculty members. During this time Alfred E. R. Van de Veide, Carlos Verharen, J. Milford Ellison, J. Roland McNary and Earl Schrack were added to the faculty, while Elsey Taft became curator.
In 1951 the membership voted to incorporate under the name of "The San Diego Men's Art Institute" and to accept women as associate members. The membership promptly rose to more than fifty regular members and more than one hundred associate members. With the advent of women as associate members, activities increased markedly, and, with the Sunset galleries becoming available, increased quality of the work submitted for exhibitions was noted.
Permanent collection
During 1950, with the acquiring of the Sunset galleries, a permanent collection was started. This exhibit included gifts of paintings by well-known artists as well as some from the Institute's membership. This collection has continued to grow.
In 1953 the Sunset galleries were sold by the Fine Arts Society, and the San Diego Men's Art Institute was forced to find temporary galleries at 904 E Street in a building formerly occupied by the City Library. After a few months, this location was also sold. By this time negotiations had been completed with the City for occupancy of the present galleries in the House of Charm on the Plaza in Balboa Park.
For some time it had been felt that the corporate name did not truly express the nature of the membership because of the large number of female associate members. It was also apparent that the Institute had now arrived at a place in the community where it represented a rather important segment of the cultural interests. Accordingly, early in 1955 the membership voted to change the name of the organization to "The San Diego Art Institute," thus deleting the word "Men's" from the corporate name.
In 1956 San Diego initiated the Fiesta del Pacifico. The Institute had for several years previously sponsored an all-county art exhibit in the Institute's galleries. With the advent of the Fiesta del Pacifico, this show was sponsored by both the Fiesta and the Institute. In 1956, 213 objects of art were selected by the jury. for the first co-sponsored exhibition: oil paintings, watercolors, graphic arts and other media including sculpture. Cash, merchandise and purchase awards were granted by both the Fiesta and the Institute as well as by local business firms, industrial corporations and individuals. Numerous awards of distinction were also made. AInn 1957 a similar exhibition was co-sponsored by the Fiesta del Pacifico and the San Diego Art Institute. 229 objects of art were selected by the jury for exhibition and similar awards were made.
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Organization
The San Diego Art Institute functions much like a municipal gallery for the city/county.
Museum of the Living Artist
The San Diego Art Institute's (SDAI): Museum of the Living Artist (MoLA), located in the House of Charm, features a new exhibition of works by San Diego artists every four to six weeks in this 10,000-square-foot (930 m2) gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition. Solo artist exhibitions are also featured. With more than 30 shows a year, the San Diego Art Institute aims to be a supportive center for local emerging artists. The Institute also offers many outreach and educational programs. The David Fleet Young Artists' Gallery showcases art done by students at regional elementary, middle and high schools, while the Outreach through Exhibition Series calls upon artists to address community issues in their art. The museum also hosts art classes in about as many media as are shown on its walls.
The House of Charm
The House of Charm was called the Indian Arts Building when it was originally created for the Panama-California Exposition in 1916. The lath and plaster structure was renamed the Russia and Brazil Building in 1917, the Exposition's second year. It acquired its current name, the House of Charm, during the California Pacific International Exposition in 1935. Like many other Exposition buildings within the Park, the House of Charm was taken over by the military during World War II. In 1996, because of deterioration, the building was torn down and rebuilt to its original appearance. Represented on the National Register of Historical Places, the House of Charm is now home to the San Diego Art Institutes's Museum of the Living Artist as well as the Mingei International Museum and three full-scale rehearsal spaces belonging to the Old Globe Theatre.
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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